47. More crap TV on Sunday afternoon, so a car survey trip around Otmoor, Sunday 19th October 2003

After Points of View one Sunday afternoon, Dave and I had got very bored of the TV and decided that it might be worth mopping up a few Otmoor pubs which would otherwise not get done before the end of the year. As I was driving, I was restricted to the weak stuff in most hostelries, though the distances between pubs and leisurely drinking pace meant that bottles of light ale were OK in Greene King pubs where the beer was shite. A brisk drive took us all the way out to Brill where we parked up at the windmill and had the first half of the day in the Pheasant. As it transpired, this was to be the best pub of the afternoon. There was some beer, Hook Norton Best and Youngs Special though neither of these adjectives are strictly true, and the bar snacks were disappointing. However, the setting and interior of the pub are superb, and the dining area affords views of the sun setting behind the windmill. The main drinking area has a huge fireplace/chimney which you can get all the way around and some very rustic tables and chairs in the low beamed room, green wooden panelled with pink painted textured wall paper above the dado rail. There are also lots of hunting photos. A classic place to settle in for an evening in front of the fire.

Anyway, time to leave and across the village to the Red Lion which had just opened at 6pm. Again a dark low beamed pub, complete with horse brasses and red velvety long seats around the walls, which is again a great place to settle in, though when we went in it was deathly quiet. Beer options are a common Greene King three - IPA, Abbot, Ruddles County - though they tasted above average. A short drive later to the nearby village of Ludgershall brought us to the Bull and Butcher, quite an interesting pub. It was very small and only had a few tables, including a side room which could have been cosy but was too bright and contained painted timber fittings which was a shame. Nonetheless, Dave reported that the London Pride was very good (I didn't try the rather strong Old Speckled Hen), though the drinks were a little pricey. Clientele were largely middle-aged, quite rich Barbour jacket wearing rugby types who had probably made something of themselves at the expense of others, though they didn't seem obnoxious during our short stay.

The Seven Stars in Piddington is a rather disappointing establishment although I imagine it serves its purpose adequately. This pub is in a new building made up to look old, so there is a very nice real fire, but it has no soul. However, the side with the pool table is set out more like a bar at Butlins. Dave had a distinctly turning half of Pride, whilst I actually had a half of Whitbread Poacher which I had not seen in absolutely ages - and it still tastes of piss. Perhaps the Hook Norton Bitter was better. Not a wonderful bar. Then followed an interval without beer as we came across the pub at Blackthorn which is no longer there, and decided to avoid the Plough at the entrance to Arncott barracks where we might have got hassle from squaddies if we'd ordered halves.

The Nut Tree at Murcott was unfortunately closed too that evening, so we finally got our next one at the Crown at Charlton-on-Otmoor. This was another disappointment as the only proper beer, IPA, was off, so we had to have expensive Greene King Pissflow XS instead. Barsnacks managed to get the pub to limp into a double figures score. My comment, as we sat watching Heartbeat was 'not much fun'. A mad local came in towards the end of the half, so we though it best to leave. A pleasant surprise greeted us at our last pub, the Red Lion in Islip where there are no less than four real beers - Adnams Broadside and Bitter, London Pride and Wychwood Dogs, which was a superb half, though at £2.60 is a bit steep. There is also a silly cider and some rustic snacks too. Unfortunately it's a bit foody in there, so you always feel a bit unsettled in the 'bar seating' area which is a bit of a shame, but I suppose you could always force yourself to stay there for an evening. Another six knocked off then, not a bad evening's work.

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Dan Lovegrove
dan@doctor-lovegrove.com

Last updated 23rd October 2003.